Previews, odds
for AFL Week 14
Favorites listed first,
home team in caps
![]() AFL photos San Jose quarterback Mark Grieb, named Week 13’s Offensive Player of the Week, has completed over 74 percent of his passes this season and leads the AFL with a QB rating of 137.6. |
After the way San Jose easily handled New Orleans last week, the SaberCats are clearly the team to beat in the postseason. While San Jose has all but clinched a playoff spot, Las Vegas (5-7) and Tampa Bay (6-7) are still hanging around the back door and hoping to find their way into the playoffs. Both clubs face tough remaining schedules, but both have the talent to compete with any team in the league. Let’s take a look at the matchups for Week 14.
SUNDAY
San Jose (-4) at ARIZONA (over/under=108)
Preview: San Jose travels to "The Snake Pit" to face Arizona for the first of two meetings between the two clubs in the final four weeks.
The SaberCats are coming off a huge win against New Orleans and appear to be clicking on all cylinders.
Quarterback Mark Grieb has been solid and the 'Cats offense is the most balanced attack in the league.
San Jose is 4-2 both SU and ATS on the road.
Arizona has won five straight games, including a huge road victory last Saturday against Los Angeles, 42-38.
Arizona's defense made Avengers’ QB Tony Graziani and L.A.’s explosive offense look human and is playing great football.
Quarterback Sherdrick Bonner has been on fire and the defense has held opponents to an average of 46 ppg. during this run.
The Rattlers are 4-3 both SU and ATS at home.
Last season, San Jose won both regular season meetings against Arizona by an average of 11 ppg., but the Rattlers upset the SaberCats 66-49 in the semifinal round of the playoffs.
This is a huge game for coach Danny White's troops and I expect the SaberCats to get bitten in the "Pit."
Take Arizona in a very tight game.
Fantasy Outlook: Arizona's WR Siaha Burley continues to thrive with Bonner and the Rattlers' air attack.
He has eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark and has 22 TDs on the year.
AUSTIN (-3) vs. Dallas (over/under=98)
Preview: Dallas has dropped five of its last six games and continues to fall after a hot start.
The Desperados scored a season low in their 44-20 loss at home last week.
Another loss by the Desperados could be devastating for their playoff chances.
Dallas also lost QB Glenn Gauntt to an injury (elbow) in the second half against New York last week.
Gauntt's status remains uncertain for this matchup.
Austin got a much-needed win last week against hapless Grand Rapids, 40-27.
The Wranglers still have to win at least three games to clinch a spot in the postseason.
The offense is one of the best in the league, averaging 52.9 points per game.
Quarterback John Kaleo (45 TDs) and OS Tacoma Fontaine (21 TDs) should be able to break through against a suspect Desperados' defense.
Austin is a solid 4-2 SU at home, but is only 2-3-1 ATS.
The club can't seem to put teams away in front of the locals.
It will be a solid matchup in the Texas state capital, but it appears that one team is rising, while the other has fallen.
The Wranglers can score with anybody and do enough on defense to get by.
Expect another home victory for the Wranglers.
Fantasy Outlook: Wranglers' WR Darren Chiaverini (10 TDs) doesn't get much publicity in Austin, but this WR has just as much talent as his teammates.
Keep an eye on the former Colorado Buffaloes' standout.
COLUMBUS (-4) vs. Georgia (over/under=93)
Preview: Georgia takes its traveling circus to Ohio on Sunday to battle an exciting Columbus team.
The Force have averaged only 27.8 ppg during their current six-game losing streak.
Head coach Marty Lowe was fired and the team has already packed it in for the summer.
Interim head coach Bob Kroneberg takes over in the meantime.
Georgia is 2-4 both SU and ATS outside of Atlanta.
Meanwhile, Columbus should be kicking itself for being 4-8 right now.
The club could easily be 6-6, perhaps even 7-5, if it knew how to close out games.
The growing pains for QB Ryan Vena (45 TDs) appear to have been put on the shelf and this team is starting to play to coach Earle Bruce's liking.
Vena and company will probably only need to toss 40 points on the board due to the ineptness of Georgia's offense.
The Destroyers are 2-4 SU at home, but a solid 4-2 ATS.
Expect the Destroyers to roll all over the Force this weekend.
Fantasy Outlook: Destroyers' WR/DB Sedrick "The Entertainer" Robinson has been posting points left and right in fantasy football.
The third-year standout caught, ran and even tossed a touchdown in last week's victory over Carolina.
NEW ORLEANS (-4) vs. Orlando (over/under=93)
Preview: Orlando travels to "The Big Easy" in a Southern Division battle against New Orleans.
The Predators and VooDoo are both looking to rebound from Week 13 losses.
Orlando had its three-game winning streak snapped against intrastate rival Tampa Bay, 63-58, in the War on I-4.
The Predators have been road weary this season, going 2-3 both SU and ATS.
Jay Gruden's team blew the doors off New Orleans 57-24 as a four-point home underdog on April 9.
Rookie QB Joe Hamilton completed 74 percent of his passes for four touchdowns against the VooDoo in that matchup.
New Orleans is hoping to bounce back this week after getting blasted by San Jose, 68-34.
Quarterback John Fitzgerald (11 picks) is hoping not to duplicate last week's five-interception performance.
Somebody else besides OS Aaron Bailey (25 TDs) needs to provide a target for Fitzy.
The VooDoo boast an impressive 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS mark on Bourbon Street.
Despite the 9-3 mark, I think I'm one of the few people that still don't believe in this New Orleans squad.
Two of the nine wins (Arizona & Austin) have come against winning teams.
Hamilton and company drilled the VooDoo in Orlando and I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen again.
I expect Gruden and company to give New Orleans its first loss at home.
Fantasy Outlook: Predators' OS Travis McGriff is coming off a 10-catch, 163-yard, three-touchdown performance last week against Tampa Bay.
Plus, McGriff returned a kickoff for another score.
Look for the former Florida Gator speedster to break out again.
Los Angeles (-1) at TAMPA BAY (over/under=108)
Preview: Los Angeles begins the first of a two-game road trip against Tampa Bay.
Surprisingly, the Avengers have fared better on the road, going 5-1 both SU and ATS.
The lone loss came against San Jose, 55-52.
The five losses overall for L.A. have come by a combined 15 points.
Quarterback Tony Graziani was picked off for the second time in 12 games last week against Arizona.
The gunslinger has thrown for 75 touchdowns and 3,329 yards this season.
Offensive specialist Chris Jackson continues to amaze with 93 catches and 1,356 yards.
Tampa Bay is starting to turn on the engines, winning and covering three straight games, but it could be too little, too late for the Storm.
After this battle, Tampa Bay hosts New Orleans (9-3) before going on the road against Dallas (6-6).
Nothing is impossible, but it's definitely an uphill climb.
Head coach Tim Marcum knows that he must win out.
Tampa Bay is 3-3 SU, but 2-4 ATS at home.
This game is huge for both teams and it should have a playoff-type atmosphere.
Look for the Storm to keep their playoff hopes alive in front of a hostile home crowd.
Fantasy Outlook: Avengers' OS Chris Jackson is the obvious pick here and for good reason.
His numbers are unreal and his athleticism gives him an edge over any defensive player.
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